The asymmetry of the inelastic cross section for the scattering of polarized electrons from polarized targets is investigated in the quasielastic region by using sum rule techniques. The sum rule method provides for the deuteron and ${}_{}{}^3{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{He}$ an elegant and direct way to extract the dependence of the asymmetry on the neutron electric form factor. The nuclear structure ingredients entering the expressions for the asymmetry are the nonspherical components of the ground state wave functions and the structure functions. The sum rule predictions for the asymmetry have been compared with the results of microscopic calculations for the deuteron and ${}_{}{}^3{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{He}$. Application of the method to heavier nuclei shows that the asymmetry is particularly sensitive to core polarization effects.

• Received 29 January 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.42.416